‘I’m doing this for Kelsey,’ I point out. ‘And because your crazy ex clearly stole my dress.’
‘We’re all someone’s crazy ex,’ he reminds me. ‘Let’s not be judgemental.’
I just roll my eyes. He’s only saying that because his crazy ex is crazier than mine.
I grab a few things to try on – well, I might as well find the perfect dress, seeing as though I’m having to buy one. Brody picks up a few bits too, saying there’s nothing else to do while he’s waiting for me.
The fitting rooms are unisex, so we pop in ones that are side by side, so we can keep chatting.
‘Of all the travelling I’ve done, I have to say, I kind of like having all of this stuff on my doorstep,’ he tells me through the thin wall.
‘Do you travel a lot for work?’ I ask curiously.
‘Yeah, quite a bit,’ he replies. ‘All around England, obviously, because we play the other counties, but we play abroad too.’
‘God, I bet you break hearts wherever you go,’ I reply. ‘I bet you have girls eating out of the palm of your hand.’
‘You’re not wrong,’ he replies – and it takes me aback, because I know it’s true, but he doesn’t usually say as much. ‘Wait a sec, I’ll show you.’
Ew. No thank you.
‘That’s okay…’
‘Trust me, you want to see this girl,’ he replies. ‘Look…’
I notice his hand appear at the top of the cubicle – he’s handing me his phone and, unsure what else to do, I take it.
‘Flick through those,’ he says.
I reluctantly do as I’m told and the second I see the first picture I just laugh.
‘What’s her name?’ I ask him.
‘Kaya,’ he replies. ‘She lived at this sanctuary we visited. Gave me love bites, followed me around all day. Totally obsessed with me – but it was love at first bite for me too.’
Safe in the knowledge Brody can’t see me, I smile widely at the photos of him and the adorable lion cub. Photos of them playing together, cuddling, him feeding her – okay, now I get why the ‘palm of your hand’ comment was so funny.
‘She’s beautiful,’ I tell him.
‘Yeah, but I wouldn’t fancy play-fighting her in a few years,’ he replies. ‘So it never would have worked out.’
I laugh, handing him his phone back over the wall.
I’m still smiling when I try on the final dress I brought through. It’s ruby-red silk, backless, with a thigh slit that makes me feel like I need some kind of tit tape for my downstairs. It clings in the right places, floats casually in the others, and it’s perfect for the casino.
I step out of the fitting room, mostly just to prove to myself that I can walk in it, and admire myself in one of the big mirrors.
Brody steps out too and I wouldn’t go as far as to say his jaw drops, but it looks like it bounces maybe, just a little…
‘Wow… Jessa…’ he says.
‘Is it okay?’ I check.
‘It’s more than okay,’ he replies. ‘You look unreal.’
I blush, making my cheeks match my dress.
‘I feel a bit self-conscious in it, if I’m being honest, it’s not me, it’s?—’
